Individual service funds

If you are eligible for financial help, an individual service fund is one of the ways you can choose to receive your personal budget.

This is when we give your personal budget directly to a provider. We give you a list of providers to choose from.

You work with providers to organise your care and support in your home. 

What an individual service fund can be used for

Your provider will work with you to develop your care and support plan and how you would like your outcomes delivered, for example, you could go to:

• day opportunities
• the gym
• leisure activities
• community groups
• wellbeing hubs

You can get more of an idea how an individual service fund could work for you by speaking to your social care worker if you have one. You can also find out more about individual service funds from Skills for Care. 

How to get an individual service fund

If you want financial help as an individual service fund, take these steps. 

1. Get us to look at your care and support needs. 
2. If you have care needs, tell us about your money coming in, assets and costs. You may have to pay something towards your care. 
3. If you can get financial help for your care, ask your social care worker for the register of accredited individual service fund providers/brokers.
4. We will talk to you to find out if an individual service fund is right for you. 
5. Decide whether to use a care company or make your own agreement with a carer. 
6. Keep receipts of your spending. We will ask to see your records after the first 6 months. The money you have to put in is spent first.  

Choosing a provider

You can choose an individual service fund provider from the register of accredited individual service fund providers/brokers. Ask your social care worker for this. The provider of your choice will work with you to deliver your care and support, using a mixture of:

• CQC registered providers
• community providers
• voluntary providers 
• micro providers

How you receive your money

You arrange for your personal budget to be paid to your chosen individual service fund provider.

They manage the financial elements with you and make payments on your behalf.